Classic wooden speedboat build , sink, search for, recovery and rebuild.

catastrophy

Glad your ok.

BrensBenz

Yes, that's heartbreaking news but............it could have been so much worse. Here's hoping the recovery goes well and she's back where she belongs soon.

Hifive

Just seeing this now. That's awful news but glad your OK. When you find her, and you will, she should be OK. There's not much electronics on these motors other than the cdi unit. When I replaced my 5.7, I kept all the electrics from the old motor and your welcome to any or all of it.
Mark.

Edit, I'm assuming it's carb
and not efi.

neris

Sorry to hear about the boat but glad your ok, hopefully you can get it backup and do something with it

genuine leather

Glad to hear you are ok fergal.b.

Odelay

I have been following this thread for yonks, loved that boat in all her sexyness. An absolute beaut, so sorry to read, never expected that! Hope you get her out of the drink soon, great to hear you got out safely, you're a top contributor here.

Alkers

Heard this on facebook - tough going. Best of look with the recovery, at the very least it will make for an interesting thread!

A2LUE42

Glad you are OK. That's the most important thing. Having been on a few boats that went down over the years, it can be quite a shock if you don't see it coming. Hopefully the boat can be found and refloated. It took three months to find one of ours on Lough Derg before.

fergal.b

Were scanning the hell out of the spot at the moment but it seems like it just vanished.

fergal.b

After spending yesterday looking for Old's Cool onboard the stunning barge Hawthorn http://www.bargehawthorn.info/ in the very pleasant company of Giles & Jill we eventually came across these images on the sonar, we were so sure this was her that we called out a diver to confirm.







Video may contain some choice swear words

Hifive

Any update fergal?
I check this thread every day (sometimes several times a day) in the hope that the text will be highlighted indicating some, hopefully positive, news on the crackerbox.
Are you still searching for her? What's the condition likely to be if (when) found after so long? What did the insurance Co. say?
So many questions, probably too many for a public forum, but I feel a lot of us here are waiting with baited breath!
You are held in such high esteem among us forumites, that I'm surprised our combined good will hasn't already raised her to the surface!
Mark.

fergal.b

Hi Mark thanks for your concern, still no luck finding her we have found 4 boats so far with the help of the Athlone sub-aqua club but none of them the right one. My main concern after this amount of time would be zebra mussels getting getting into every nook and cranny and setting up home :eek:
The insurance singed off on her minus the value of the trailer and giving me the right to her if she is found and I would pay for the salvage.
The two sonar boats are away on other business at the moment so hopefully when they get back they will have another look, with the young on summer holidays I'm stuck at home now so not much I can do from here I have posted on the angling forums asking them to keep an eye out and next I hope to get in touch with the swans and ducks of Ireland to see if I can get them onboard






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yobbo

Hi Fergal,

Just a quick note as I am a long time reader but seldom poster. I have followed you work with great interest and have always had a slight awe and amazement about your work. It is something I have always dreamt of doing when I have more time on my hands, but could never imagine getting anything near the results that you have achieved. After following this thread I was once driving on the M6 and was delighted to see the finished article on the back of a trailer!

Since I read about the incident with Old's cool I have also been checking in here daily for some news. As with all your projects the search for old's cools is fascinating to follow on this thread. I will continue checking to, hopefully, see that some day you have found her in Lough Ree and see work being done on her again!

Bio Mech

fergal.b wrote: »

Hi Mark thanks for your concern, still no luck finding her we have found 4 boats so far with the help of the Athlone sub-aqua club but none of them the right one. My main concern after this amount of time would be zebra mussels getting getting into every nook and cranny and setting up home :eek:


.

Zebra mussel growth would probably be slow in that depth of water Fergal. It will be cold down there and without much of a close resident population (which there wouldn't be if the bottom is silt there) there wont be many of the free swimming veliger stage to settle. The first year shelled stage are very small and the shells very soft and if you do recover her a good drying would take care of them. They don't tend to become a problem until after their second growth cycle. In short I would not expect too much of an issue until you are out beyond the summer. If you do recover a good power wash, drain and dry and it should be fine.

fergal.b

A little write up in the IWN by Giles of the Hawthron barge.






Some of you might also be interested in his book.
Reedbound. Written by Giles Byford with Illustrations by Jill Parkinson. Life afloat suits some people, and with a business that's made living and working all over the English waterways possible, it suits Giles and Jill so well they feel blessed. Everything, from the odd ciscumstance of finding their first narrowboat to rejecting academia, seems to bring rewards: so they are not surprised that the same strange magic appears to be working it's charm when they set about building Hawthorn, the barge they intend to spend the rest of their lives exploring Europe on. The future's promising and wonderful. And then, quite suddenly, everything falls apart. Reedbound is largely about what follows. How the terrifying violence of crossing the Irish Sea becomes an act of faith that contrasts with a gentle westward wandering along an empty cana to the River Shannon. And how, over the year they spend exploring the irish waterways, a philosophy of trusting all will be well and refusing to research beyond the barest minimum delivers adventure, unexpected spaces and other misfits. Ultimately Reedbound is a celebration of how the redemptive power of Ireland's landscape and culture re-establishes the couple's faith that they're looked after on the water.

WildWater

Read the entire thread. It was as engaging as a novel or movie. But oh boy I was not prepared for that ending. More shocking than your one having that extra appendage in the Crying Game!

Glad you are ok Fergal but oh man what a loss. Best wishes with the ongoing search and recovery.

fergal.b

Thanks Wildwater glad you liked it so far but be prepared for an alternative ending as I'm not happy with that one

Two more boats found this week making 6 in all, it's looking like Lough Ree has it's own little Bermuda triangle It is turning out to be a bit of a roller coaster ride finding a boat getting your hopes up only to find out it's not her nevertheless the hunt will go on.

Thargor

How long before its unsalvageable do you think?

fergal.b

Thargor wrote: »

How long before its unsalvageable do you think?

Never even if I can just get the hardware back I can rebuild her, if she is down deep with little oxygen she will be fine for a long time, if she is in shallow water near rocks with movement in the water she wont last long.



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Hifive

What a cool pic!
I don't know you Fergal, but this picture sums up how I think of you exactly.

Sort of like, The artist pleased with his work or,
bugger, I missed a spot there!
Or possibly,"I really need a pee, so I'll just lean up against this old yoke until it passes"!

Either way, you are one of a kind.

fergal.b wrote: »

Thanks Wildwater glad you liked it so far but be prepared for an alternative ending as I'm not happy with that one

Two more boats found this week making 6 in all, it's looking like Lough Ree has it's own little Bermuda triangle It is turning out to be a bit of a roller coaster ride finding a bo a at getting your hopes up only to find out it's not her nevertheless the hunt will go on.

biketard

fergal.b wrote: »

Thanks Wildwater glad you liked it so far but be prepared for an alternative ending as I'm not happy with that one

Two more boats found this week making 6 in all, it's looking like Lough Ree has it's own little Bermuda triangle It is turning out to be a bit of a roller coaster ride finding a boat getting your hopes up only to find out it's not her nevertheless the hunt will go on.

Slightly off-topic, but what happens with the boats you do find, fergal.b?

fergal.b

biketard wrote: »

Slightly off-topic, but what happens with the boats you do find, fergal.b?

Unless they are a danger to traffic they are just left there, we let the Athlone sub-aqua team know and they might use them for diving practice. Over the years if a boat got past it's sell by date it was just towed out and holed so I wouldn't say it would be worth anyones while paying a salvage team to raise them.


Thanks Hifive all of the above and a few more



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Bio Mech

I was on Ree on Sunday and registered depths to 80 feet not too far out from coosan. I would say there are a few scuttlers down there alright.

neris

If you do find her whats your plan for getting it back ashore or to float? not sure if the link below is worth a read but 100 year old sail boat sank off Howth a number of years ago and a bit of persistence and luck they managed to find it and recover it.

http://hyc.lucidity.us/news/6-rosemary-raised-following-championships-sinking

fergal.b

neris wrote: »

If you do find her whats your plan for getting it back ashore or to float? not sure if the link below is worth a read but 100 year old sail boat sank off Howth a number of years ago and a bit of persistence and luck they managed to find it and recover it.

http://hyc.lucidity.us/news/6-rosemary-raised-following-championships-sinking

If she is down 20 foot or less I will have a go myself with floatation bags "tractor tyres" compressor and generator, if she is deeper I will use the salvage team in Lakeside marina.



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the beer revolu

Every time I see that there's been a post to this thread I really get my hopes up only to be sadly disappointed.

That work of art must be found!

thereitisgone

And im the same, everytime i come into sailing and boating, first thing i check is this chat hoping there is a new post, and that the boat has been found.

fergal.b

I wish I had some good news to post so far 9 boats have been found in the area I'm now beginning to think that with the 3 spare automatic lifejackets shooed down one side and whatever air was trapped in the bow and stern she may have bobbed around below the surface till the jackets deflated.

deandean

Aahhhh

Tenner to Saint Anthony?

fergal.b

Another boat found by Pat McManus on Tuesday this is his blog well worth a read http://www.reelaxfishing.blogspot.ie/

This looks promising as you can just about see the shadow of the bow meaning that it has not been there long and settled down into the silt also there is a bright spot that could be the engine block but we will have to wait a week or two till the divers can have a look, fingers crossed

fergal.b

Bad news again it wasn't her so the search goes on
A guy on the Glen-l site posted this


Reading Fegal's last post about the 'community' of boat-builders and thinking of his quest to find his lost vessel...
I just started writing. It didn't take long.
Truth is..., I don't even like poetry.
I'll post it before I loose my nerve.



Sacred are the Boatmen
Plans and books are studied
Families hope and pray
Sacred are the boatmen
Whose boat will sail one day

Lumber stacked accordingly
Tools are strewn about
Sacred are the boatmen
Whose skills are not in doubt

Curls of wood lie scattered
The hand-plane shapes the chine
Sacred are the boatmen
The fairest hull’s sublime

Glassing, sanding, flip it
The engine now installed
Sacred are the boatmen
The neighbors are enthralled

Upholstery on the seating
Chrome is on the deck
Sacred are the boatmen
A thousand things to check

Backing up the trailer
Triple check the bung
Sacred are the boatmen
Victory cries are sung

Slow at first but speed picks up
She cuts first left then right
Sacred are the boatmen
Who will not sleep tonight

The years they pass, the vessel is mastered
His hull is proven strong
Sacred are the boatmen
For something shall go wrong

Like a dream it happens suddenly
The water rushes in
Sacred are the boatmen
Who are only left to swim

They wonder how it happened
The search lasts many days
Sacred are the boatmen
Whose pride lies ‘neath the waves

Eventually it occurs to all
The boat was just a toy
Sacred are the boatmen
Twas building gave them joy
Andy Garrett


Big thanks again to the Athlone sub-aqua club for all their help.

fergal.b

New bit of kit for this years search, I got the Garmin echomap chirp 75sv https://buy.garmin.com/en-IE/GB/prod529888.html and a GT50 transducer for down scan and side scan chirp sonar, it's also capable of panoptix live forward sonar but the transducer for that ain't cheep.:eek: Also getting a new hood made for the Glastron
by Giles http://www.bargehawthorn.info/ so I can go out in sun or rain "will post a photo when it's done.

Buona Fortuna

Looks a nice bit of kit. I hope that works for you Fergal.

loyatemu

Every time I see this thread reappear I hope it's because you've found the damn boat

Best of luck in 2016 Fergal.

fergal.b

loyatemu wrote: »

Every time I see this thread reappear I hope it's because you've found the damn boat

Best of luck in 2016 Fergal.

One day it will be






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stevemul

You could always ask these people to help Fergal, they may be kicking their heels at the moment after their last job!
http://youtu.be/ZpOug8xsxa0

fergal.b

They would have to charge me mates rates to make it worth my while and as long as they don't cut her up

I have been going over the sonar images again and again and have a few more possible hits but I can't get away till the end of February to check them out.

This one could be a stern view.




And this sort of has the outline of her.

Daibheid

Something that might allow you check at least some of the hits quickly would be to use a WiFi GoPro ( GopPro 3 Silver or higher) on a painters pole for about 5 metres or on a weighted line for greater depths. It's possible to get a live view over Wifi on a smartphone or tablet by using the right kind of antenna cable taped to the front of the camera housing and to the phone at the other end.
You won't have great viz with all the peat in that lake but no doubt you'd recognise any bit at all if you got a camera any where near it.

Just a thought as it would be a way for you to check out some hits as soon as you find them without having to enlist and wait for the obliging Athlone divers. Happy to help with more tech details if required.

fergal.b

Daibheid wrote: »

Something that might allow you check at least some of the hits quickly would be to use a WiFi GoPro ( GopPro 3 Silver or higher) on a painters pole for about 5 metres or on a weighted line for greater depths. It's possible to get a live view over Wifi on a smartphone or tablet by using the right kind of antenna cable taped to the front of the camera housing and to the phone at the other end.
You won't have great viz with all the peat in that lake but no doubt you'd recognise any bit at all if you got a camera any where near it.

Just a thought as it would be a way for you to check out some hits as soon as you find them without having to enlist and wait for the obliging Athlone divers. Happy to help with more tech details if required.

I have the boat set up with an underwater camera with lights and a TV

fergal.b

Well my transducer still hasn't arrived so I didn't do any searching over the weekend I did however have a very helpful meeting with the guy's from the Athlone sub-aqua club and with their help and immense knowledge of the lake we were able to work out a rough idea of where she might have gone down so that will be my search area for this year.

Corbally

Hi mate, just been reading through the thread. What is the viz like here? I'm currently building an ROV so might be of some use to you if you want to try put a camera on a pole etc etc. GoPro with wireless probably won't work but don't quote me on that. A cheap webcam that has been waterproofed on a pole would work but an 11m pole might be a bit long to be dragging around the lake

fergal.b

hanksy123 wrote: »

Hi mate, just been reading through the thread. What is the viz like here? I'm currently building an ROV so might be of some use to you if you want to try put a camera on a pole etc etc. GoPro with wireless probably won't work but don't quote me on that. A cheap webcam that has been waterproofed on a pole would work but an 11m pole might be a bit long to be dragging around the lake

Cheers, I have an underwater camera set up to a TV on the boat but would be interested to see your build if you have a link.

Corbally

Is that camera fixed to the hull or can you move it. My ROV is based on an openrov. If you search youtube or google for 'openrov' you'll find it. I'm using their motherboard, motors and software but building my own body because I want to go deeper and to be more stable than the openrov

fergal.b

hanksy123 wrote: »

Is that camera fixed to the hull or can you move it. My ROV is based on an openrov. If you search youtube or google for 'openrov' you'll find it. I'm using their motherboard, motors and software but building my own body because I want to go deeper and to be more stable than the openrov

No it's not fixed I just drop it over the side nice bit of kit the openrov.



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Corbally

Cool. Hopefully you find the boat this year. I'll keep an eye on this and lend a hand if I can. I'd be interested in seeing the recovery

fergal.b

With the good weather Giles was out looking again north of marker 5 but she still remains hidden it's almost a year she has been down and it's like she is playing some sort of game of hide and seek.

Daibheid

hanksy123 wrote: »

GoPro with wireless probably won't work but don't quote me on that.

So if you don't know this is true and don't want to be quoted, what exactly is your point? Take some time to research how to actually do it before announcing it won't work. If you can build an ROV you can probably get this to work.

Corbally

Daibheid wrote: »

So if you don't know this is true and don't want to be quoted, what exactly is your point? Take some time to research how to actually do it before announcing it won't work. If you can build an ROV you can probably get this to work.

I didn't announce it wouldn't work. I said it probably wouldn't work. I have researched it.

Wireless doesn't travel through water the same way as it does through air. I thought of this before but discounted it quickly after reading posts from a few people a lot more experienced than me that tried and failed to get it to be reliable.

I use Wifi transmitted via a cable to control my ROV, could probably do this with a GoPro but I wouldn't break a GoPro to see if I could do it. GoPro to record and a cheap waterproofed webcam for a live feed (side by side) is easier in my opinion.

Ive just spent the afternoon reading about this restoration project. A very interesting read. Fergal you did some truly remarkable work on that project. I wish I had your hands and vision for doing things.

The boat looked beautiful out on the water. I just couldnt believe how this story developed with the loss of the boat. Thankfully no one was hurt but my goodness it must have been heartbreaking. My heart was broken just reading about it.

I sincerely wish you the very best of luck in finding her and I will be checking back here for progress and indeed your new project.


Thank you for helping passing what would have been an extremely boring afternoon.

VisionaryP

Very sad to read this, Fergal. Is there anything we can do to help? I dunno, maybe if there was some specialist gear you needed to hire I'd be happy to donate a few quid to the cause (and maybe a few others here would too?).